Brynski wrote: ↑Sun Feb 04, 2024 2:56 pm
I have more trouble with visualising how to make shin pressure work with the lower cut and softer boots. My interpretation would be that in order to drive more with the cuff/shin of the rear boot/foot, I would need to flex both ankles and knees a little more, basically sinking lower into the stance. Is that what you mean?
If this is correct, then my next question would be how to do this without getting all spread out? I have noticed that it's easier to keep the stance compact if I don't bother trying to go low. It's also much less tiring to ski tall (for me).
Rob
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Part of the "problem" is that your stance is really quite good. I tend to ski the same way, so I'm biased!
I would say that any modifications you make should be subtle. I think of dropping into the stance as utilizing 3 basic options.
1. In the lead change, pull one ski back to get the spread. I'm not a huge fan of this, but there are times when I definitely do it. An example would be that when you go into a right turn and your left ski is becoming the lead ski, it does so by bringing the right ski back, rather than pushing the left ski forward. It's like standing with feet together and stepping BACK to get the stance. The downside is that, if you go to more active gear, it becomes hard to use this method because there is a tendency to just not get enough weight down to be on the ball of the foot, Vs the toe as well as the next option.
If you see someone starting the turn with a knee drop and they allow the rear ski to "pop forward" into a parallel stance before completing the turn, it's likely they used this technique, Vs. the next one.
2. Instead of pulling what will be the trailing ski back, use the rear ski as a base for pushing the other ski forward.
I think this focuses pressure a bit better onto the rear ski without unduly underweighting the front ski and the result is a firmer engagement of that back ski without overdoing it. It's important to properly weight the rear ski, but in method #1 it's easy to get too much weight back. You just want enough. Think of it as standing with feet together and then stepping FORWARD onto the new lead ski. I tend to prefer this method; It feels a bit like "walking or running down the hill" and I think it subtly positions your body better.
3. Drop down front and back like the scissor strut on the nose gear of an airplane. That works pretty well also. All three techniques have their place and once you get the muscle memory are pretty interchangeable.
I mostly use #2 but will use the other techniques if I need to, but to begin with, I think I'd advise #2 as the most useful early on in learning. If you step forward, it's likely you will get the proper weight distribution more consistently until you master the other two.
I consider an upright stance to be the most useful in my case and would only drop lower to accomplish specific goals. If you're going over the handlebars, a lower, slightly more spread out position (think spastic velociraptor and your rear ski is the counterweight that keeps your forehead off the ground.) that can be useful, but your observations on the advantage of more upright are spot on. I am almost never too upright, but am often lower and more spread out than I would like to be.
Edit: I see
@fisheater eater put it considerably more succinctly. And I f*cked up the quotes, as usual.